Monday's Personal Finance stories

Investors have taken plenty of beatings in the U.S. stock market over the past 18 months and anyone who was diversified into international markets has been hit even harder. All of that battering has sent many savers into an investment shell, making them skittish of home-bred equities and doubly afraid of venturing overseas again.

But there are plenty of good reasons why continuing to put money into global investments is a good idea, even after the pummeling. For one thing, when the U.S. does start to recover, the pickup will be felt around the world and, like a tsunami, magnified in many areas it reaches. That means we could revisit the relative better performance international markets enjoyed for much of the bull market earlier this decade.

There are also positive demographic reasons to stick with overseas stocks, particularly in emerging markets where growth expectations are high. Although you don't want to have too much exposure in those areas, putting some money into them seems a wise bet in a diversified portfolio.

It provides a lot of comfort to stick close to home. But unless you venture out of your backyard, you'll miss a lot of opportunity.

-- Steve Kerch, assistant managing editor/personal finance

INVESTING

Five ways to set up your portfolio for a global stock-market recovery

Stock investors are again enjoying gains from international markets, but the extensive damage their portfolios suffered last year seems several continents away from repair. See Weekend Investor.

Lawsuits to recover mutual-fund losses are rarely successful

Investors frustrated by losses in their mutual funds always hope to get a pound of flesh back from the fund managers. Alas, suing funds and fund managers typically has brought less than an ounce of flesh, if anything. The fund world is full of tales of woe told in court to no effect. See Chuck Jaffe.

Covered-call investing: safe harbor in turbulent times?

Is it possible to get decent long-term investment returns without going through all this turmoil? Some experts say there is -- and recent events, perhaps surprisingly, back them up. See Brett Arends.

Rosetta opens door for select stocks

The strong debut of Rosetta Stone last week likely heralds a turning point for the IPO market in the U.S. -- with some caveats. See full story.

A car that has always ranked high on the personal favorite list has now decided to go the Fred Frugal route. See Auto Review.

Honda Fit's crash test

Honda's subcompact Fit four-door is yet another small car that performs well in standard crash tests while faring poorly in a crash with a larger, heavier car, in this case a Honda Accord sedan. Watch Video Report.

Smart For Two's crash test

A head-on collision between a two-seat Smart ForTwo and the larger Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan shows how the passenger compartment can get squeezed in a severe crash. Watch Video Report

Toyota Yaris's crash test

Small cars simply don't stand up well against the weight of bigger vehicles. A crash between a Toyota Yaris and a larger Camry is violent enough to tear off the driver's door off the smaller car. Watch Video Report.

REAL ESTATE

Why houses look better and better

Follow your nose when getting ready to sell your home

Sprucing up your home isn't the only thing you need to do to attract a buyer. Follow your nose, says MarketWatch's Adrienne Mitchell. She spoke to a veteran Realtor about selling a home a tough market. Listen to Audio Report.

CAREERS

First, know yourself

When it comes to career reinvention, too many people make a fundamental mistake: They don't know themselves. So when I talk to people about making a career change, I always suggest first doing a few self-assessment exercises. Career self-assessment is the process of getting acquainted with what you like -- and don't like -- in a work environment. See full story.

Tips for self-employed workers with fluctuating incomes

With mounting layoffs, many are turning to self-employment. Alyce Zollman, a financial consultant for Charles Schwab, tells Dow Jones Newswires' Veronica Dagher how self-employed workers can meet the challenges of a fluctuating income. Watch Video Report.

A journey of jobs

Daniel Seddiqui, 27, is on a cross-country mission: land 50 jobs in 50 states in 50 weeks. Watch Video Report.

SPORTS & LEISURE

Grenache becomes a leading lady

Tastings columnists John Brecher and Dottie Gaiter compare Grenache to a very-nice-but-plain best friend. But Grenache is due for an extreme makeover. Watch Video Report.

A biking boom even in the slow economy

Small business owners are among those hit the hardest during the recession but one entrepreneur has learned to turn lemons into lemonade. Video courtesy of Fox News. Watch Video Report.

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